Hometown Brandon - Fall 2015

Don’t Blink-It GoesByFast
Mary Ann Kirby
Fall is here. School is back in session and I
already miss the lazy summertime days with
my family; particularly my ever-growing
12-year-old. Time is going so fast.
As adults, we’ve always known that “time
flies” – but just a couple of weeks ago, my own
child commented on how fast the weekends
seem to go by. I didn’t know kids had much
concept of time beyond, “how much longer is it”
and “are we there yet?” Call me crazy, but I’m
pretty sure that time is going by faster than it
used to. And I doubt that the warp-speed
hyper-scheduling we all endure helps much.
The morning that I wrote this, the Kenny
Chesney song Don’t Blink came on the radio
and made me teary. (Note: it doesn’t take much
to get me all blubbery and choked up. They say
having kids does that to a person. I believe it.)
The song refers to a man turning 102 years old.
He’s being interviewed and is asked what he
considers to be the secret of life. He answered,
“Don’t blink. 100 years goes by faster than
you think.”
It got me to thinking (and writing)–am I so
busy running, trying to keep up, that I’m missing
the most important part of it all? Kenny’s
fictitious centenarian says to, “Best start putting
first things first . . . ‘cause when your hourglass
runs out of sand, you can’t flip it over and start
again. Take every breath God gives you for what
it’s worth.”
With that in mind, I’ve made a mid-life
resolution.. I want to do things differently.
I want to notice more–and to appreciate more.
I not only want to step out of my box and go
places I’ve never been, see things I’ve never
seen, eat places I’ve never eaten and do things
I’ve never done–but I want to see the things
around me, differently.
Erma Bombeck is one of my all-time
favorite columnists. Back in 1979, she wrote a
column called, “If I Had My Life to Live Over.” It
reiterates that the time we have should be
appreciated and used wisely. She was 52
when she wrote it–basically, my age. We
should all take it as excellent advice in today’s
high-velocity environment. She says:
“Someone asked me the other day if I had
my life to live over, would I change anything.
My answer was no, but then I thought about it,
and changed my mind.
n If I had my life to live over, I would have
talked less and listened more.
n Instead of wishing away nine months of
pregnancy, and complaining about the shadow
over my feet, I’d have cherished every minute of
it and realized that the wonderment growing
inside me was my only chance in life to assist
God in a miracle.
n I would have never insisted the car windows
be rolled up on a summer day because my hair
had just been teased and sprayed.
n I would have invited friends over to dinner
even if the carpet was stained and the sofa
faded.
n I would have eaten popcorn in the ‘good’
living room and worried less about the dirt
when you lit a fire in the fireplace.
n I would have taken the time to listen to my
grandfather ramble about his youth.
n I would have burned the pink candle
sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
n I would have sat cross-legged on the lawn
with my children and never worried about
grass stains.
n I would have cried and laughed less while
watching TV–and more while watching life.
n I would have shared more of the
responsibility carried by my husband, which
I took for granted.
n I would have
eaten less cottage
cheese and more ice
cream.
n I would have gone
to bed when I was sick
instead of pretending the
Earth would go into a holding
pattern if I weren’t there for a day.
n I would never have bought ANYTHING
just because it was practical/wouldn’t
show soil/guaranteed to last a lifetime.
n When my kids kissed me impetuously,
I would never have said, ‘Later. Now go get washed
up for dinner.’
n There would have been more ‘I love yous’ ... more
‘I’m sorrys’ ... more “I’m listenings’ ... but mostly, given
another shot at life, I would seize every minute ...
look at it and really see it ... try it on ... live it ...
exhaust it ... and never give that minute back
until there was nothing left of it.”
Is there any way to say it better?
It’s a great lesson for me about
life–and time–and the
passage of time,
particularly as we
embark upon a new
season. I plan
to begin living
life more
deliberately–
and I’m
starting
today.
Don’t blink.
Hometown Brandon • 21